FAST FACTS
The new lunch plan marks the first major change in 15 years for the federal meal program. It sets calorie limits for meals, adjusted for students' ages, and increases vegetables while decreasing meat offerings.
Students who pay for lunch can purchase incomplete meals or multiple meals, but if they don't meet the federal requirements the meals aren't reimbursed by the USDA. Students who qualify for subsidized meals have to take all the components -- entree, vegetable, fruit, milk -- but they don't have to eat them.
There's nothing to stop students from packing lunches or bringing snacks from home.
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